Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
04/28/2025 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB125 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 125 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 125-BOARD OF FISHERIES MEMBERSHIP
1:05:08 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 125, "An Act relating to membership of the
Board of Fisheries."
1:05:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JIMMIE, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 125, introduced the legislation to the committee.
She explained the bill proposed changes to the Board of
Fisheries so that it would have two seats for subsistence users
of Alaska fisheries, two seats for commercial users of Alaska
Fisheries, and two seats for sports users of Alaska fisheries.
Representative Jimmie said this change would help all Alaskans
and give equal say to the stakeholders working for the recovery
of salmon.
1:06:10 PM
RACHAEL GUNN, Staff, Representative Jimmie, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Jimmie, presented a
PowerPoint, titled "HB 125 Establishing Structured Stakeholder
Balance in Alaska's Fisheries Management" [hard copy included in
the committee packet]. She showed slide 2, titled "Alaska's
Board of Fisheries," which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
The governor shall appoint each member on the basis of
interest in public affairs, good judgment, knowledge,
and ability in the field of action of the board, and
with a view to providing diversity of interest and
points of view in the membership
1:06:16 PM
MS. GUNN explained that HB 125 proposed a structural reform to
the composition of Alaska Board of Fisheries to ensure that the
decision-making body reflected the full spectrum of fisheries
expertise in Alaska. She pointed out that board appointments
have been governed by broad language, leading to imbalance and
polarization. This has been occurring during a time of
ecological stress, diminishing salmon returns, disruptions, and
emergency closures of certain fisheries in Alaska. She said
science shows that resilient management systems are those which
integrate diverse ecological knowledge, commercial realities,
traditional harvest practices, and sports-based economic
drivers. She showed slide 3, titled "Designated Seats on the
Board of Fish," which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
2 x Commercial
2 x Sportfishing
2 x Subsistence
1 x Scientific Community
She explained that restructuring would embrace two core
principles. First, no single user group would have outsized
influences on state resource management, and second the
inclusion of both empirical science and community-based
knowledge would strengthen the board. She noted that the bill
does not limit the governor's appointment power but ensures
representation of all stakeholders.
1:08:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JIMMIE responded to a question from
Representative Fields regarding where personal use fisheries fit
into the proposed changes. She pointed to the similarities in
personal use and subsistence use fisheries.
1:09:17 PM
MS. GUNN responded to several questions from Representative
Fields. She described input from multiple user groups and
stakeholders. She pointed out that the definition of
subsistence use in Alaska statute differed substantially from
the federal subsistence definitions. She referenced potential
changes that might occur as a result of decisions at the federal
level and emphasized the importance of protecting the oldest
user groups in Alaska. She pointed out that any voices in the
subsistence seats would also protect personal use fishing. She
discussed various scenarios illustrating conflict of interest
and said that if the definitions of the seats were codified, the
legislators could determine whether appointees fit those
definitions when they were presented for ratification.
1:12:29 PM
MS. GUNN responded to a question from Representative Rauscher
regarding personal use fisheries by explaining that a person
might fit into more than one category such as subsistence and
personal use. She addressed his concern that the board might
end up with all sportfisherman or all commercial fisherman by
explaining that codifying the seats as two commercial, two
sports fish, two subsistence, and one science would help the
legislators when they consider the governor's appointees to the
board.
1:15:39 PM
MS. GUNN addressed questions from Representative Mears by
explaining the importance of having board appointees
representing a specific focus as well as a diversity of
interests. She discussed situations that have occurred in
Representative Jimmie's district where at least 90 percent of
protein for the residents came from fish. Because of climate
change, by-catch, and other issues, there are fish camps on the
Kuskokwim River that have sat empty for years. It is
increasingly important for the Board of Fish to address the
imbalance created by the emphasis on commercial and sports
fishing and ensure that the subsistence voices are heard.
1:20:05 PM
MS. GUNN responded to a question from Representative Saddler who
asked whether there should be a priority for Alaska natives to
fill the subsistence seats. She reiterated that the governor
would present his appointees, and the decision would fall to the
legislature.
1:21:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JIMMIE, in response to a question from
Representative Saddler regarding whether it was her intent that
there be a designated seat for Alaska natives, pointed out that
it would be up to the governor to pick the right person for the
seat.
1:22:21 PM
MS. GUNN answered a question from Representative Coulombe by
explaining that the predominant conflicts on the board have been
between commercial and sports fishing, and subsistence fishing
has not had a voice. She explained that one of the intents
behind the bill was to give subsistence an equal voice. She
pointed out that people who relied on subsistence should not
have to go hungry, positing that the two subsistence seats might
not prevent the conflicts that have been occurring, but it would
a step in the right direction for preserving an important
cultural heritage in the state.
1:25:06 PM
MS. GUNN responded to a question from Representative Saddler by
saying that HB 25 as presented was the end destination of the
policy, and Representative Jimmie did not have other motives for
running the bill.
1:25:34 PM
CO-CHAIR DIBERT explained that people have not been able to fish
on the Yukon River for seven years. She described her memories
of fish camp and her father cutting fish, and how the knowledge
of preparing and drying fish had been passed down for
generations. She pointed out the importance of subsistence
users having a voice on the board.
MS. GUNN responded to Co-Chair Dibert's question about the
subsistence position at ADF&G by explaining they were in the
early steps of hiring for the position. She said that ADF&G was
neutral on HB 125. She noted that they were not saying there
was no native or subsistence representation on the board but
rather that they were looking for a balance of user groups. She
pointed out that subsistence does not have a giant lobbying
voice. The intent was to preserve cultural history and promote
food security.
1:28:26 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE stated that due to time constraints the committee
could not hold public testimony. She announced that HB 125
would be held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 125 RES packet 4.28.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2025 1:00:00 PM |
HB 125 |
| HB 125 Letter of Opposition Chitina Dipnetters Assn..pdf |
HRES 4/28/2025 1:00:00 PM |
HB 125 |
| HB 125 Letter of partial support- Alaska Outdoor Council.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2025 1:00:00 PM |
HB 125 |
| HB 125- Seats on BoF Presentation 4.28.25.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2025 1:00:00 PM |
HB 125 |
| HB 125 McGahan Letter of Opposition.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2025 1:00:00 PM |
HB 125 |